SGU President Addresses Physician Shortage on Good Day Chicago

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St. George’s University President Dr. G. Richard Olds joined “Good Day Chicago” on Fox 32 News to discuss the nation’s growing doctor shortage.

New projections estimate that the United States will be short up to 124,000 physicians by 2034. U.S. medical schools aren’t training enough doctors to close this gap.

“We have to start doing something about it because it’s impacting the care of patients,” Dr. Olds urged during the July 1 interview.

He went on to examine possible solutions for the shortage, such as building more medical schools and funding more residency positions. Dr. Olds believes it’s also imperative that we look to international medical schools like SGU to train the nation’s physician workforce.

“As a result of international schools filling in that gap, St. George’s University is actually the largest supplier of doctors in the United States,” he said.

View the full conversation

SGU’s Research Day Returning This October

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Research will once again take center stage at St. George’s University this fall. After a two-year hiatus since a record-breaking turnout in 2019, the campus will host its 19th SGU Research Day and Phi Zeta Research Emphasis Day on Saturday, October 23, at Open and Upper Modica Hall.

This year’s event will feature Dr. Carissa Etienne, director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), as the keynote speaker. For the first time, the event will include virtual presentations. The change will allow for collaborators, graduates, students, faculty, and alumni not located in Grenada to contribute, including those in the St. George’s University of Grenada School of Medicine/Northumbria University program in Newcastle, UK. Clinical faculty in the Schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine may also participate.

“Those who participate in research benefit, in that it makes them more holistic and impactful in their chosen field of study,” said Dr. Martin Forde, professor of environmental and occupational health in the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. “One of the goals of Research Day is to allow our students to demonstrate that they are not only interested in gaining knowledge but in making meaningful contributions to the knowledge base of their chosen profession. Through it, they can demonstrate their ability to help answer questions that still are unanswered and highlight where we still need to dig deeper.”

 

 

Recognizing that research is an integral part of a university, SGU established the Medical Student Research Institute (MSRI) in 2009 to encourage, support, facilitate, and centralize medical student research during the four years of a student’s medical education. The MSRI offers medical students who have demonstrated academic excellence the opportunity to work on faculty-mentored research projects, and if their abstract is accepted to Research Day, they will qualify to be considered for a Distinction in Scholarly Activities award at graduation.

Recently appointed to head up the MSRI, Michael Montalbano, MD/MBA ’16, an assistant professor in the Department of Anatomical Sciences at SGU, revealed the goals he hopes to accomplish.

“I am very grateful to be given the opportunity to head the MSRI,” said Dr. Montalbano. “In my new role, I want the MSRI to give students the skills that accompany sound scientific approaches to complement the large volume of medical knowledge they learn from their classes. I believe that, armed with the proper cognitive exploratory tools, a student can better map out the dense territory of medical facts, make an informed clinical decision when faced with a choice of paths, and perhaps even start a trail of knowledge in previously uncharted terrain. In short, I want to not just keep curiosity alive but actively promote it.”

Call for Abstracts

Research Day is open to all. Those selected will have the opportunity to present their oral or poster presentations in a chance to compete for the title of best faculty or best student oral presentation, as well as best faculty or best student poster presentation based on originality, scientific merit, and level of involvement.

The SGU community is invited to send in abstracts on or before Monday, September 27. Please send submissions to Kareem Coomansingh at kcoomans@sgu.edu. 

 

– Ray-Donna Peters

 

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SGU Announces Partnership with Kwantlen Polytechnic University

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St. George’s University announced a new direct admission partnership with Kwantlen Polytechnic University in British Columbia, Canada.  

Each student admitted to the new 4+4 program will receive a $10,000 scholarship to begin studies in medicine or veterinary medicine at SGU following completion of their undergraduate degree at KPU. 

“We’re proud to team up with Kwantlen Polytechnic University to provide a direct pathway for students to pursue careers in medicine,” said Dr. G. Richard Olds, president of St. George’s University. “With US and Canadian medical school admissions more competitive than ever, this partnership can relieve students of the stress of the standard application process.”

Students can gain provisional acceptance any time during their first three years at KPU. They learn if they’re accepted to the KPU/SGU program in the fall of their fourth year. All applicants must complete a degree in health sciences. To qualify, medical school applicants must maintain a 3.4 grade point average and record a competitive score on the MCAT. Veterinary applicants must maintain a 3.2 grade point average and post a score of at least 300 on the GRE.  

Upon graduation, successful applicants may enroll immediately at SGU. Medical students have the opportunity to spend one year at Northumbria University in the United Kingdom. 

Admitted students are eligible for merit and need-based financial aid, in addition to the $10,000 grant from St. George’s. Graduates of St. George’s can pursue residencies throughout the United States and Canada.

“Canada is facing acute shortages of both doctors and veterinarians,” said Sandra Banner, SGU’s director of admission for Canada. “Partnerships like this one can boost the number of skilled professionals working in these fields—and help people make their dream of becoming a physician or veterinarian a reality.” 

“We are very excited about this new partnership with St. George’s University in Grenada. It has been years in the making,” said Carole St. Laurent, associate vice president, KPU International. “This partnership will not only provide the opportunity for our health science students to achieve their goals to become doctors, it will also make KPU an attractive destination for local and international students to more readily access a graduate level education in medicine by beginning their educational journey at KPU.” 

“This partnership is welcome news to our students who will now have the opportunity to pursue their dreams to become doctors,” said Dr. Elizabeth Worobec, dean of the Faculty of Science and Horticulture at KPU. “The seats for medical schools in the lower mainland are highly competitive, so for many of our students, a chance like this to study abroad to fulfill their goals is a welcome opportunity.” 

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How to Boost Diversity in Medical School: SGU President Featured in RealClear Health

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SGU Students Take Altruistic Initiative During COVID-19 Pandemic; Reaffirm Their Commitment To Becoming Doctors

An article by SGU President Dr. G. Richard Olds was recently featured in RealClearHealth.

The piece, “How to boost diversity in medical school,” details the importance of diverse representation in medical education. Dr. Olds reasoned that by making diversity a bigger recruiting priority, today’s medical schools can “cultivate a more diverse physician network” and bring about a “more accessible, more equitable healthcare system.”

He also detailed some of the measures that SGU is taking to open doors for underrepresented students:

“Making medical school more affordable is another way to attract and enroll a more diverse group of students. More than 75 percent of students at St. George’s University, the school I lead, receive scholarships. Dozens of students have benefited from our CityDoctors scholarship program, which provides aid to students from the New York metropolitan area who commit to working in the city’s public hospital system upon graduation,” Dr. Olds wrote.

He added that international medical schools are a key source of diversity to the U.S. physician workforce. SGU’s student body represents 49 U.S. states and more than 100 countries.

Read the full article

 

Learn more about SGU’s commitment to diversity on our website. 

2021 MD class overcomes obstacles on way to residency

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Their journey may have been different than the classes before them, but the St. George’s University School of Medicine Class of 2021’s commitment to excellence and their future profession was very much the same.

In a virtual ceremony held on June 6, SGU conferred Doctor of Medicine degrees to graduates from 47 US states and territories, as well as 35 other countries around the world. The SOM’s newest alumni forged ahead despite hurdles and wrinkles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and emerged on the other side with a bright future in front of them.

“With your new MD degree, you join the ranks of thousands of physicians, including our proud SGU alumni, and other healthcare workers fighting this pandemic,” said Dr. Marios Loukas, dean of the School of Medicine, in his address. “In joining this fight, you will need to call upon the same perseverance and commitment that carried you through four years of medical school.

“Go forth and do good by taking care of millions of people who will look toward your humanism in science to keep them safe and healthy,” he continued. “Remember that your positive attitude and determination have brought you this far, and life is as much about living the journey as much as it is about eventually reaching your destination.”

This summer, more than 1,080 newly minted SGU physicians will enter residency at hospitals across the US. These positions span 21 specialties, including anesthesiology, emergency medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, surgery, urology, and more.

“I’m sure many of you have been dreaming of this moment for many years, and I do hope that you’re all taking a moment to stop and reflect and celebrate your success,” said Dr. Lucy Clunes, dean of students at SGU. “As you transition from student to physician, and embark on the next phase of your career, I encourage you to reflect on the values and experiences throughout your tenure at SGU that have led to the success we are celebrating today.”

SGU is the largest source of physicians for the entire United States workforce, with more than 11,600 alumni licensed to practice in the US in 2019 according to the Federation of State Medical Boards.

 

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Faculty members honored

Dr. Charles Modica, chancellor and co-founder of SGU, also bestowed the St. George’s University Distinguished Service Award to Dr. Stephen Weitzman, former dean of the School of Medicine, and Dr. Vishnu Rao, longtime dean of students and the current dean of university alumni affairs.

Dr. Weitzman joined SGU in 1978 as a visiting professor and remained on the faculty as a professor, chair of medicine, dean of clinical studies, and dean of the SOM.

“Dr. Weitzman really is a special person, but I think the most special thing about him is that his name is on the diplomas of more physicians in the US—having signed them—than any other person in the world,” Dr. Modica said. “He helped set up the clinical programs, he nurtured them, and he became involved with each and every student’s education through them.”

Dr. Rao started at the University at its inception, joining as a professor of anatomy before serving as the University’s Dean of Students for more than three decades. He will stay on as a member of SGU’s alumni affairs department.

“I’m so proud to be able to work with him in the future to make sure we are involved with and look after the thousands of graduates of the University, in all fields,” Dr. Modica said.

 

– Brett Mauser

2021 Class of New Veterinarians Recognized for Their Resilience and Perseverance

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Although the St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2021’s commencement ceremony was virtual, as were some of their classes, their incredible achievements were very much real.

On June 5, SGU faculty as well as students’ friends and family members applauded the School’s newest graduates for persevering through challenging coursework and rigorous clinical training, all during a global health crisis. With the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees in hand, they’re now equipped to successfully embark upon their professional careers as the world’s newest veterinarians.

“What I want you to remember is this: No matter where you are in the world today, no matter what the format of your graduation ceremony, the importance, the magnitude and the relevance of your achievement are in no way minimized,” said Tara Paterson, DVM ’03, president of the School of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Association.

Dr. Paterson, a charter class alumna and associate professor of small animal medicine and surgery at SGU, welcomed the 184 graduates from six different countries who tuned in with faculty, staff, family, and friends from around the world for the celebration, as they each received their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

“What makes the Class of 2021 so exceptional is its resilience to persevere in the face of a global pandemic,” said Dr. Paterson. “They did what all SGU students do—they persevered, they did not give up, and made the best of what was offered to them. They are resilient and truly incredible.”

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In her address, keynote speaker Carley Jones, DVM ’21, challenged the students to remember the joy, passion, and perseverance that got them to their graduation day. She also shared two lessons that she and her classmates had learned during their time at SGU—the value of community and adaptability.

“The sense of community that you have bestowed upon each other is the perfect reflection of the type of doctors that you have become,” commended Dr. Jones. “Our ability to adapt to the obstacles we face will make us better doctors, better leaders, and better members of every community we become a part of.”

St. George’s University graduates shined in the recent Veterinary Internship & Residency Matching Program cycle, achieving a match rate of 72.1 percent, highest among Caribbean veterinary schools.  It also compared favorably to the 53.5 percent match rate for all schools—including US schools—according to the VIRMP, a program sponsored by the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians (AAVC).

With the addition of these graduates, the SVM has now produced more than 1,900 veterinarians since the charter class graduated in 2003. Dr. Charles R. Modica, chancellor of SGU, congratulated and praised the new vets for pressing forward despite challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are proud that the country of Grenada has been part of your lives for a few years,” said Dr. Modica. “With the pandemic having impacted all of us, you have shown that you have the resolve, fortitude, and dedication to complete your studies no matter what.”

 

– Ray-Donna Peters

Op-Ed: SGU President Dr. G. Richard Olds Featured on KevinMD

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St. George’s University President Dr. G. Richard Olds recently penned an article on KevinMD.

The article, “Here’s how we can rebuild health care post-pandemic,” outlines the critical role that international medical graduates (IMGs) will play in the future physician workforce. Thousands of new doctors will soon begin residency programs at hospitals across the country. That includes 7,500 IMGs—more than 1,000 of which are SGU alumni.

“These newly minted doctors, many of whom are U.S. citizens who chose to study abroad, will play an outsized role in treating the underserved communities hit hardest by the pandemic,” Dr. Olds wrote.

He goes on to argue that internationally trained physicians are uniquely suited to address our country’s growing doctor shortage. They have a history of working in underserved areas, including rural regions and majority-minority communities.

“Internationally trained doctors are also more likely to treat people from historically marginalized groups. In areas where the population is 75 percent non-white, IMGs account for nearly 40 percent of the physician workforce. And according to a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, IMGs often care for Medicare beneficiaries with more complicated needs than their domestically trained counterparts,” he wrote.

View the full article on KevinMd

Campus enhancements await students returning to Grenada

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St. George’s University’s campus is ready for students to return by making several enhancements, and it will have a new look when they arrive.

SGU has continued to support its growing campus community with several expansion and redevelopment projects to be completed in the 2021-2022 academic year. When construction is complete, the campus will feature greater capacity for individual and group study spaces as well as new technologically advanced clinical skills laboratories.

“We are extremely excited to make these improvements to our campus, and truly believe that they will greatly contribute to our students’ success,” said Charles Modica, chancellor at St. George’s University. “We eagerly await their return and, with it, the return of our vibrant campus.”

Enhancements include:

  • New Eric Gairy Pavilion: Outside of Eric Gairy Hall, this open-air pavilion welcomes up to 282 students to convene for outdoor study, a tried-and-true setting to further absorb coursework. Scheduled to be completed by August 2021.
  • New Beachfront Pavilion: On the hill connecting upper and lower campus, this new pavilion will have the capacity for 324 students to conduct group study, all with backdrop of True Blue Bay. Scheduled to be completed by early fall.
  • Renovated indoor study spaces campus-wide: Students can really stretch their legs with 52 percent more individual study spaces thanks to new carrels in Founders Library, Lower Modica Hall, Lower Taylor Hall, St. David’s Hall, St. Andrew’s Hall, and St. John’s Hall. Scheduled to be completed by August 2021.
  • Additional clinical skills labs: After recently updating the existing 56 clinical skills rooms with the newest technology, SGU is also adding another 28 rooms as well as a new control center that will help provide an optimal simulation experience with standardized patients. Scheduled to be completed in early 2022.

The improvements were put in place as SGU prepares to welcome back fully vaccinated students, faculty, staff, and administrators later this month, with in-person classes back in session this August.

“When our students, faculty, and staff are all on campus together, it truly is a magical place to learn, study, and to enjoy each other’s company,” said Glen Jacobs, provost at SGU. “These additions and renovations only add to the unique and enriching student experience here in True Blue.”

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St. George’s University’s campus is ready for students to return by making several enhancements.

 

 

– Brett Mauser

SGU Donates 8,000+ Meals to St. Vincent Relief Efforts

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SGU campus officials collaborated with the Ministry of Health Grenada and officials from the National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) to deliver meals to St. Vincent families affected by the volcano eruption. Image courtesy of Terrence Franklyn.

In solidarity with the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and its people, St. George’s University has donated more than 8,000 meals to those affected by the recent eruptions of the La Soufriere volcano.

“SGU’s origins are tied to St. Vincent,” said SGU Chancellor and University Co-founder Charles R. Modica. “Our connection to the island spans far and deep and we hope to assist our St. Vincent brethren in any way we can. The meals will help families affected by the volcano, which continues to erupt and cause uncertainty for the people who live and work on the island.”

SGU’s Department of Public Safety officials collaborated with the Ministry of Health Grenada and officials from the National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) to coordinate the effort. SGU’s Department of Public Safety delivered the meals to NaDMA for shipment to St. Vincent.

SGU has also pledged to offer beds for evacuated residents, if needed. In addition, the School of Medicine Alumni Association has started a charity drive to help St. Vincent families, which includes SGU alumni who live and work there. All individuals are encouraged to donate.

 

Donate now

A Rich History Together

Just as Grenada and St. Vincent share close ties, the island and its people are dear to many in the SGU community, as it was a co-partner of the University from its inception. For more than 25 years, SOM medical students completed a semester of their basic sciences on the island. When the volcano last erupted in 1979, some SGU students were studying on the island and instrumental in helping island recovery efforts, even as medical students. SGU also lent a hand by donating much-needed supplies.

Similarly, when Hurricane Ivan struck Grenada in 2004, St. Vincent offered assistance during the country’s recovery.

“We are thinking of our Vincentian neighbors during this challenging time and stand ready to further assist in their recovery,” said SGU Provost Glen Jacobs. “We are working closely with the Government of Grenada and disaster preparedness agencies to continue offering support in any way we can, including food and shelter for our St. Vincent brethren.”

Students, faculty, and staff in Grenada wishing to drop off donations may contact NaDMA.

 

— Laurie Chartorynsky

 

 

 

Equity in medicine the focus of new SGU scholarship

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St. George’s University’s new scholarship program—the Equity in Medicine scholarship—focuses on developing strong physician pipelines in underserved areas by recruiting students from these areas and encouraging them to return home to practice.

According to Health Resources and Services Administration, medically underserved areas are areas designated as having too few primary care providers and other factors.

Read about two Equity in Medicine Scholarship recipients who are committed to working in areas where care is needed most.

Anders Grant

Hometown: Bronx, NY

Her commitment: Primary care on Native American reservation

Anders Grant spent more than 20 years as a dietitian on the East Coast and in Texas. Years later, after raising her own children, she began working with various tribes on the Native American Reservation—where medical school called out to her.

In her three and a half years there, she “fell in love with the communities and the people.” Aided by the Equity in Medicine scholarship at St. George’s University, Ms. Grant is committed to returning to the reservation—a medically underserved area—when she becomes a physician.

“The people were so interested in teaching me their ways, and because I love languages, I immediately tried to learn the Navajo language. It was very reciprocal,” she said. “Once I showed that I wanted to learn their culture, that I wasn’t someone who said a casual hello, we became more like a family.”

Learn more about scholarship opportunities at SGU

Healthcare access and education is limited in and around the various Reservations. According to Ms. Grant, it takes upward of an hour to drive to visit with a healthcare professional, and even then, staff and resources are limited.

Ms. Grant is especially focused on the treatment and prevention of diabetes, working closely with children and families on the reservation to address the root of the problem—obesity. As an ultra-marathon runner, she offered diet and exercise programs for children that yielded tremendous results and was soon adopted by many parents.

“What I really emphasized was moving,” she said. “They saw me running out there every day, which showed that I practice what I preach. If I can get the children to start improving their health now, oh my goodness, the future is unlimited.”

Using the foundation she receives at SGU, Ms. Grant is committed to making a lasting difference in returning to the Native American Reservation.

“I can’t wait to get back,” she said. “I want to prove to them in person that you can never give up. It’s never too late to make your dreams come true.”

Taylor James

Hometown: Forest City, NC

Her commitment: Rural medicine

In rural America, state-of-the-art technology and a wealth of resources may only be found at a great distance. Growing up in the foothills of North Carolina, Taylor James has seen the consequences of such deficiencies firsthand—and they have shaped her career path.

When she was just four years old, her father passed away after a medical mishap during a surgical procedure on his hand. According to Ms. James, the anesthetic was administered in a blood vessel, inadvertently numbing his heart, and no available medication could reverse the effect. She attributes the mistake, in part, to a lack of resources at her local hospital.

“I didn’t really recognize it until I moved away and saw what other places are like,” said Ms. James, now a first-term student at St. George’s University. “As I grew older, I better understood what happened to my dad, why it happened, and now I want to figure out how to combat these problems in small towns like mine.”

She has been laser focused—graduating a semester early from North Carolina State University, with a degree in human biology. During her studies, she gained valuable clinical experience at the University of North Carolina’s emergency medicine department as well as WakeMed Cary Hospital.

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As a Spanish minor, she also completed a doctor shadowing assignment in Spain, an experience she said: “instilled the importance of cultural competence.” She has used her bilingualism to communicate with—and ease the minds of—Spanish-speaking patients.

While she is keeping her options open, Ms. James is leaning toward a career in primary care, to become a valuable resource in a community that needs it. She even foresees opening up her own family medicine clinic and is grateful for the financial flexibility she has to do so through receiving the Equity in Medicine Scholarship from SGU.

“I was so shocked and so thankful to receive the scholarship,” she said. “I have really enjoyed my first few weeks at SGU. It’s a lot of studying—which I expected—but I don’t think I expected the overwhelming amount of resources and support SGU provides to ensure that we’re successful.”

– Brett Mauser